A STUDY IN GENESIS
Dear fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, last week I told you we would review how the Antediluvian period still holds sway over present day events. At that time, I had no idea what would be happening only a few days later with the world watching the Paris Olympic opening. Because of this, we will be taking a little bit more time diving into the ancient world and how it still has a strong influence on us today.
First I want to make sure you can take heart in knowing God is bigger, more powerful, and cares for us very much!
1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
Psalms 55:22 “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”
Matthew 10:28-31 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”
As believers, we need to take heart in knowing God is personable and knows what is going on. Now let us examine what preceded after the murder of Abel.
Genesis 4:17-26 “Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael became the father of Methushael, and Methushael became the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me; 24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” 25 Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, “God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.”
Cain has been cursed, he has been kicked out. However, his life is not over. He marries! Cain and his wife have a family. Some naysayers try to ask, who did he marry? The answer is simple, he married his sister. Adam and Eve’s genes did not have the issues and concerns that would happen in the world today. We would encourage you to review the Creation Institute and their work on the subject.
We learn in this particular segment of the chapter, that mankind is starting to develop the tools and trade that we are accustomed to today. Agriculture (Animal Science), music, bronze, and iron. Mankind appears to be prospering. However, we learn that mankind is in fact falling rapidly! Society is being built on a loose foundation of personal relativism, “Your truth is not my truth” comes from this period of time. Mankind hides their sin behind freedom. This was clearly shown to be present in the Olympic ceremony in France.
Let’s go deeper! “Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me; 24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” Only a few years before, we see Cain murder his brother because of religion and mankind trying to fix what only God can. By Lamech’s day, we see man’s deprivation has grown. Lamech kills a man for wounding him and kills a boy for striking him. Lamech takes on two wives. God designed the marriage as to be one woman and one man, and in just a few short years we see Lamech taking on two wives. Now some might see this and point to other places in the Old Testament, they would be correct in identifying this difference. The societal changes that would come later are based on necessary customs because of circumstances of the times.
In Lamech’s day, this was not the case, there were plenty of men and women and there were no wars creating widows. A women could find a husband who would live for a long time. Lamech had Adam and Eve as witnesses of what a marriage was designed to be. And yet, sin had multiplied in such a manner causing mankind to now attack and murder each other for offenses. Do we not see this today? Of course! Mankind has little value in each other, we kill and strike others for offenses even when they might be telling us the truth.
However, there is hope!
Verse 25 is a statement and should not be put into place in any timeline with the previous verses. It is more of a statement ending the chapter with a summary. This summary is to reveal there is a war in humanity. After Cain kills Abel, Adam has relations with Eve and another son is born, Seth. This person is who Jesus Christ would one day come from. Genesis 3:15 happens because of Seth, and Adam and Eve knew this! While they might have been hoping Seth would be the one to do it, the promised one had to come from a virgin. Already we see the prerequisites of the Messiah and the uniqueness it would have to be for Jesus to be it. Nevertheless, the lineage of Jesus Christ comes from Seth! “Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, “God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh.”
However, here we come to an area of scripture that English fails to understand and provide the meaning when it says, “Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.” Genesis 4:26b. The English does not portray the correct meaning that the Hebrew does, several theological scholars have argued the meaning was in fact, “Then men began to blaspheme the name of the LORD.” This appears to be supported by the quick turn of events with Lamech being such an evil murderer. The Antediluvian period reveals that man with sin is evil. We are born with it, it is inside of us; and without a check and balance of Christ, we are doomed with it. the Antediluvian period however, is not done. Next week we will discuss what further insidious things come out of this period.
I want to end on a positive note, remember Seth! Even though the world was in disarray, God was preparing. He was providing, He was focused on righting our wrongs! The same can be said today, even though it seems as if these dark days are returning, God has a plan. All we need to do is read that plan in scripture, and help tell the good news of Jesus Christ. Like Seth, we can be a walking symbol of hope to an ever darkening world.
Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,
JL